Munoz leads LIV Golf Singapore, Fireballs and Smash share team lead

SAN DIEGO: Ludvig Aberg returned to Torrey Pines in far better health and showed it Sunday when he birdied four of the last six holes, including a 7-foot birdie on the 18th, for a 6-under 66 and a one-shot victory over Maverick McNealy in the Genesis Invitational.

Aberg shared the 36-hole lead at Torrey Pines in the Farmers Insurance Open three weeks ago until getting so sick he barely made it through the tournament and had to withdraw the following week, a nasty illness that caused him to lose 10 pounds.

The Genesis Invitational relocated to Torrey from Riviera because of the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, and Aberg made good on another chance at one of his favorite courses.

The Swede said he turned to caddie Joe Skovron on one of the final holes and said, “This Sunday is a lot more fun than the last one we had.”

“It was a great fight,” Aberg said. “I’m really proud of the way I finished. It was really cool.”

This took all he had. McNealy birdied eight of his opening 11 holes and led by three shots when he stood on the 17th tee. He finished with a pair of pars for a 64.

Tournament host Tiger Woods watched a lot of the action unfold from the broadcast booth. Woods withdrew from the tournament on Monday as he coped with the death of his mother, Kultida, last week. Players wore a red button that had the Thai symbol of love to honor her.

Aberg two-putted from 50 feet for birdie on the 13th, attacked a daunting back pin on the 14th to 5 feet for birdie and rolled in a 25-foot birdie putt on the 15th to tie for the lead. From the middle of the fairway on the par-5 18th, he hit 7-wood long, some 70 feet away, rolled that down to just under 7 feet and calmly holed the putt.

“It’s more than I could have asked for at the start of the day,” said McNealy, who started five shots behind. “Ludvig played awesome. I knew with that leaderboard it was going to take some great golf to get it done.”

Aberg, who finished at 12-under 276, won $4 million for his third victory worldwide since turning pro in June 2023 as the top-ranked college player out of Texas Tech. He moves to No. 4 in the world.

Scottie Scheffler was 10 shots better than the third round with a 66 and tied for third with Patrick Rodgers (71).

Scheffler fell five shots behind with a 76 on Saturday, his highest score in nearly three years. That didn’t stop him from making a brief run. He went out in 31 with five birdies, including a chip-in on the fifth hole, and got to within one shot.

But he couldn’t afford many mistakes, and he made two of them. He left a delicate, downhill chip in the rough on the par-3 11th and made bogey, and after holing a bunker shot for birdie on the 15th to stay in the game, failed to save par from a bunker on the 16th.

He closed with a 66 and finished alone in third.

Scheffler played with Rory McIlroy and put five shots between them on the front nine. McIlroy couldn’t buy a putt and could only laugh at one point during the round. He finished with a bogey from the water on the 18th for a 72.

Rodgers and Denny McCarthy, playing in the final group, also took their turns in the lead during the final round until the tough back nine on the South course caught up with them.

Rodgers fell back with bogeys on the 11th and 12th holes and never caught up. McCarthy had the lead when he made eagle on the par-5 sixth and didn’t make another birdie until the final hole for a 71 to tie for fifth.

RIYADH: Jeeno Thitikul delivered a commanding performance to claim victory at the PIF Saudi Ladies International on Saturday, securing her 17th professional title with a final-round 69 to finish at 16-under par.

The Thai sensation, who turns 22 next Thursday, followed in the footsteps of compatriot Patty Tavatanakit, who lifted the trophy at Riyadh Golf Club in 2024. Thitikul’s triumph also marked a dream start to her season.

“It’s the best present I’ve ever received in my life,” she said. “To be honest, I didn’t think I’d be able to win my first event of the year at all because after a long offseason without playing tournaments, you need to adjust a little bit on the course. But winning here is a huge advantage.”

She added: “We can take this form and carry on the good things that happened here. More than anything, I think my team will be proud because we’ve worked really hard in the offseason, always trying to get better. Having a win here means we’re moving in the right direction.”

Thitikul started the final day with a three-shot lead and wasted no time in extending her advantage, carding four birdies in her opening 10 holes. A five-shot cushion with eight to play proved unassailable, as she dropped just one shot on the back nine to seal a dominant win.

South Korea’s Somi Lee secured second place with a two-under-par 70, while England’s Annabell Fuller recovered from a tough front nine to finish one over, earning a solo third-place finish.

Fuller, 22, continued her strong form on the Ladies European Tour after a sixth-place finish last week. Her third-place showing in Riyadh earned her $270,000, a financial boost she described as transformational.

She added: “I was saying to my parents last week (that) this kind of tournament is life changing. Golf isn’t cheap, and neither is traveling, so having the opportunity to earn at this level is huge. It really helps make a career in the game more sustainable.

“It was awesome to play next to her (Thitikul) and watch her game; she’s so good. Even when she made a mistake, seeing how she recovered was incredible. Her short game is just next level, and she always managed to get out of tough spots so well. For me, it’s a huge confidence boost to have two strong weeks back to back.”

The PIF Saudi Ladies International, boasting a $5 million prize fund, matches the men’s equivalent, the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers. It is the highest non-major purse on the LET, highlighting Golf Saudi and PIF’s commitment to advancing the women’s game.

Thitikul acknowledged the importance of such investment in women’s golf.

She said: “I think Golf Saudi and PIF have done so much to elevate women’s golf and grow the game. I really appreciate how they see the potential in women’s golf and continue investing in it. The women’s game really needs this kind of support to keep growing, especially for the next generation. Hopefully, more fans will watch, whether on TV or coming out here in person. Saudi has done a really good job organizing a big event and bringing in top players to compete, which is great for women’s golf.”

This year’s tournament also introduced a new two-day team format to heighten competition and increase prize-winning potential. South Korea’s Somi Lee captained her team to a two-shot victory, lifting the trophy on Friday.